Why saying “never” and “always” is *often a bad idea

*often, not always (see what I did there?) I’ve been becoming more aware of how I interact with people and myself, and the kinds of thought-patterns I have. And it’s pretty scary to have that awareness, because I’m starting to see how badly I communicate with the people around me, and even with myself, when I use the words “never” and “always.” Both in the things I think and say. It’s stopping me from having meaningful conversations, and reaching productive outcomes when I’m faced with a problem, a challenge, or an insecurity. This post is about why they have that effect, and how I’m trying to replace “always” and “never” with “sometimes” and “often”